WA women fall short of Hockey Australia Country Championships medal, men’s finish tough defence on a high

The WA Country women’s side fell agonisingly short of a bronze medal after going down to arch-rivals Victoria on Saturday the Hockey Australia Country Championships in Goulburn, NSW. Led superbly by former Hockeyroo and current Manypeaks star Kathryn Slattery, her sister Megan Slattery, North Albany’s Felicity Ericcson, Mt Barker’s Zali Spencer and Upper Great Southern’s Lucy Ward, WA were unable to top break through Victoria’s defences and lost 1-0. After Victoria scored in the 15th minute of the opening quarter, WA could not convert three short corners into goals, and their pursuit of a medal was ended. WA were in the box seat for a medal after finishing undefeated through their four pool games but were handed a 2-0 semifinal defeat by Queensland on Friday. Kathryn Slattery had an outstanding tournament, netting the second-most goals overall and leading her team with four goals throughout the campaign. The defending men’s champions, who are skippered by Lower Great Southern’s Darren Parkes, finished their trying tournament on a high to sew up fifth spot. Having finished their final pool game against South Australia locked at 0-0, WA ensured they finished above the Croweaters as they plundered six unanswered goals past them on Friday. Parkes scored their fourth goal in the 21st minute before Upper Great Southern’s Liam Sweeney, and Central Great Southern’s Lewis Barritt combined in quick succession as WA romped to a 6-0 win. Bunbury’s Brayden Dalton scored a sublime first-half hat-tick in their dominant victory, while Raine Fisher chipped in with a goal.